kalabit
kalabít with stress marks
tap with finger, poke, pulling a trigger
Usage Note
Kalabit refers to a gentle tap or poke — typically with a fingertip — used to get someone's attention without speaking. It is a culturally polite, non-intrusive gesture used in quiet settings like classrooms or churches. The verb form is kumalabit or kalabitin.
Examples
" Kalabitin mo siya nang dahan-dahan. "
Natural Translation
Tap him gently.
Literal Translation
Tap you him gently-gently.
" Isang mabilis na kalabit sa baril ang narinig ko. "
Natural Translation
I heard a quick pull of the trigger on the gun.
Literal Translation
One fast that pull-of-trigger at-the gun the heard I.
" Habang tahimik ang misa, dahan-dahan akong kumalabit sa kapatid ko upang ituro ang kaibigan naming bagong dating. "
Natural Translation
While the mass was quiet, I gently tapped my sibling to point out our friend who had just arrived.
Literal Translation
While quiet the mass, gently I tapped to sibling my so-that point the friend our newly arrived.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
How Tagalog words workActor Focus Verbs
Object Focus Verbs
Related Words
Explore Tagalog by topic
Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.

Tagalog Affixes Explained: A Beginner's Guide to Word Building
Tagalog affixes turn one root word into dozens of meanings. Learn prefixes, infixes, suffixes, and circumfixes with clear examples for beginners.

How to Say "I Love You" in Tagalog: Phrases & Meaning
Learn how to say I love you in Tagalog. Mahal kita, Iniibig kita, and Filipino terms of endearment for partners, family, and friends — with cultural notes.

Magkano: How to Ask "How Much" in Tagalog
Magkano means how much in Tagalog. Learn to ask a price, tell it apart from ilan and gaano, sound polite with po, and haggle at the palengke.

Days of the Week and Months in Tagalog
The days of the week and months in Tagalog are Spanish loanwords. Learn all 7 days and 12 months with pronunciation, plus how to say dates and 'every Monday.'